Miserable league campaign ends in another defeat for Tipperary footballers

Westmeath 1-13 Tipperary 0-10

A hugely disappointing league campaign for Tipperary’s footballers ended with their sixth defeat against depleted Westmeath in surprisingly pleasant and sunny if cold conditions at TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.

Although the visitors’ fate had already been known before the throw-in, there were moments in the opening half that were quite encouraging for David Power’s charges, who will play in division four next year.

However, it is fair to say that Westmeath were by far the superior team and are now also looking forward to competing in this year’s Sam Maguire Cup.

Where rock bottom Tipperary football goes from here remains to be seen. However, the team and management will have little time to reflect on the past couple of months ahead of their Munster quarter-final championship clash with Waterford at FBD Semple Stadium on Easter Sunday, April 9.

Despite the loss of wing back Anthony McGivney just before half-time, Westmeath were still level on 0-3 apiece after an undistinguished first half of this dead rubber in Mullingar. Westmeath’s narrow defeat by Fermanagh the previous week had put them out of contention for promotion but they still looked the more focused of the teams soon after play got underway.

Skerries Harps player Stephen Smith, replacing long-time talisman John Heslin, got the Westmeath scoring underway with the opening two points from a sixth-minute free and, some three minutes later, with a neat finish from open play.

Corner forward Luke Loughlin then produced a decisive finish for their third point in the 18th minute at the end of a patient move.

It was not the start that Tipperary would have wanted but somehow Westmeath seemed surprisingly more disjointed during the second quarter, enabling Tipp to come right back into contention.

A brace of impressive points from Moyle Rovers’ full forward Stephen Quirke and Mikey O’Shea preceded the sending-off of Westmeath wing back Anthony McGivney, who picked up his second yellow card in the 32nd minute.

Jack Kennedy then converted a 34th-minute free to tie up the scoring at 0-3 apiece at the end of a very low-key first half to leave the half-time score Westmeath 0-3, Tipperary 0-3.

The loss of McGivney appeared to have tipped the balance in favour of the visitors but that was far from how the second half unfolded almost from the throw-in.

Play-maker Ronan O’Toole had a point disallowed from a successful free just 90 seconds after play resumed for taking the free from the wrong spot, but he made amends seconds later with a fine point from play.

The St Loman’s star went on to have a very good second half and, along with Luke Loughlin in attack, they caused endless headaches for Tipperary’s often-porous defence.

Westmeath centre back Ronan Wallace also excelled after the re-start by kicking three outstanding points.

Westmeath deservedly led by 0-8 to 0-6 when Loughlin’s precise pass picked out Lorcan Dolan, who duly blasted the ball past the helpless Michael O’Reilly in the 50th minute to all but put the result beyond doubt.

This score effectively ended the game as a contest, despite some fine accurate free-taking by Jack Kennedy at the other end just about keeping his side in touch.

Westmeath were also denied a second goal in the 68th minute, with O’Reilly doing superbly to keep out a James Dolan goal-bound attempt at the end of a great Westmeath move.

Both teams will now prepare for their respective provincial championships, while Westmeath have the luxury of knowing that their splendid Tailteann Cup win last year guarantees them Sam Maguire Cup action later in the summer.

Dessie Dolan’ s side now look forward to their Leinster Championship quarter- final clash against Mickey Harte’s re-energised Louth side in late April, while Tipperary manager David Power must find some way of lifting his team ahead of their Easter Sunday clash with Waterford, and hopefully rebuild his team with a good run in the Tailteann Cup.

Scorers: Westmeath: Ronan O’Toole 0-4 (1 free), Lorcan Dolan 1-0, Ronan Wallace 0-3, Stephen Smith (0-1 free) and Luke Loughlin 0-2 each, Sam McCartan and Shane Dempsey 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jack Kennedy 0-4 frees, Stephen Quirke 0-2, Paudie Feehan, Mikey O’Shea, Sean O’Connor and Cathal Deeley 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Jason Daly; David Giles, Kevin Maguire, James Dolan; Anthony McGivney, Ronan Wallace, David Lynch; Sam McCartan, Andy McCormack; Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O’Toole, Robbie Forde; Lorcan Dolan, Stephen Smith, Luke Loughlin.

Subs: J Smith for McCormack (half-time), C Dillon for Forde (45), T Molloy for S Smith (58), Shane Dempsey for L Dolan (63), Jamie Gonoud for Giles (65).

Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly; Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan, Willie Eviston; Jack Harney, Kevin Fahey, Colm O’Shaughnessy; Paudie Feehan, Mark Russell; Emmet Moloney, Jack Kennedy, Keith Ryan; Mikey O’Shea, Stephen Quirke, Cathal Deely.

Subs: Tommy Maher for O’Connell (injured, 32), Sean O’Connor (0-1) for Eviston (43), Riain Quigley for O’Shea (43), Martin Kehoe for Russell (54), Conor Cadell for Quirke (65).

Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).